Metalloproteinases, including matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), collagenase, gelatinase and TNFα convertase (TACE), and their modes of action, and also inhibitors thereof and their clinical effects, are described in WO-A-96/11209, WO-A-97/12902 and WO-A-97/19075, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. MMP inhibitors may also be useful in the inhibition of other mammalian metalloproteinases such as the ADAM or ADAM-TS families.
Compounds which have the property of inhibiting the action of metalloproteinases involved in connective tissue breakdown, such as collagenase, stromelysin and gelatinase, have been shown to inhibit the release of TNFα both in vitro and in vivo See Gearing et al (1994), Nature 370:555-557; McGeehan et al (1994), Nature 370:558-561; GB-A-2268934, and WO-A-93/20047. All of these reported inhibitors contain a hydroxamic acid zinc-binding group, as do the imidazole-substituted compounds disclosed in WO-A-95/23790. Other compounds that inhibit MB and/or TNFα are described in WO-A-95/13289, WO-A-96/11209, WO-A-96/035687, WO-A-96/035711, WO-A-96/035712 and WO-A-96/035714.